Abstract: A vehicle drive device and a control method therefor are provided. The vehicle drive device includes: a power source including a first rotating electrical machine; a second rotating electrical machine; a differential unit including three rotating elements to which a first output shaft, a second output shaft, and the second rotating electrical machine are connected; and an electronic control device. The electronic control device regeneratively controls the first rotating electrical machine and the second rotating electrical machine in such a manner that negative torque is applied to the first output shaft and the second output shaft, when performing regenerative control by the second rotating electrical machine in a drive mode in which torque from the power source is distributed to the first output shaft and the second output shaft by controlling torque of the second rotating electrical machine during deceleration of a vehicle.

Abstract: A regenerative torque upper limit is set to a larger value when a rear-wheel distribution ratio is small than when the rear-wheel distribution ratio is large. Accordingly, when a distribution of a drive power to front wheels is large, a regenerative torque of a second rotary machine can be increased such that wheels are less likely to slip at the time of performing of regeneration control when the distribution of the drive power to the front wheels is small in comparison with a case in which the regenerative torque upper limit is set to a constant value similarly to when the distribution of the drive power to the front wheels is small. In this way, it is possible to increase the regenerative torque of the second rotary machine according to the rear-wheel distribution ratio.

Abstract: A central ECU includes a download execution feasibility determination unit that determines whether or not execution of download of data from an external distribution server of a vehicle is feasible based on position information of the vehicle, a download execution unit that executes the download in a case where the download execution feasibility determination unit determines that the execution of the download is feasible, and a transmission unit that records execution failure result information including position information of the vehicle when the download is executed by the download execution unit and fails, in an external monitoring server of the vehicle, in which the download execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not the execution of the download is feasible based on the execution failure result information recorded in the distribution server and the current position information of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle drive device includes: a brake that is provided with a plurality of friction plates, a first piston and a second piston, and a first piston hydraulic chamber and a second piston hydraulic chamber, and selectively fixes the third rotating element to a fixing member; a hydraulic control circuit that controls supply of the hydraulic pressure to the first piston hydraulic chamber and the second piston hydraulic chamber; and a control device. The control device controls the hydraulic control circuit such that the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the first piston hydraulic chamber and the second piston hydraulic chamber when the first traveling mode is set, and controls the hydraulic control circuit such that the hydraulic pressure is supplied only to one of the first piston hydraulic chamber and the second piston hydraulic chamber when the second traveling mode is set.

Abstract: A software update system includes: a vehicle data acquiring unit configured to acquire data on a state of a vehicle including data of a predetermined performance of the vehicle; an effect predicting unit configured to predict an effect on the predetermined performance which is obtained when update data of software used in the vehicle for improvement of the predetermined performance is applied to the vehicle based on the data acquired by the vehicle data acquiring unit; and a delivery unit configured to deliver the update data to the vehicle when the effect predicted by the effect predicting unit satisfies a predetermined reference and to withhold delivery of the update data to the vehicle when the effect predicted by the effect predicting unit does not satisfy the predetermined reference.

Abstract: A software update system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to update software used in a vehicle based on update data of the software, the update data being transmitted to the vehicle from an external device that is communicably connected to the vehicle. The software update system includes: a software update unit configured to update the software based on the update data; a vehicle data acquisition unit configured to acquire respective pieces of second vehicle data about states of the vehicle before and after the software update by the update unit; and an effect evaluation unit configured to evaluate an effect of the software update based on the respective pieces of second vehicle data before and after the software update.

Abstract: When evacuation travel is performed using only a drive power from one drive power source of an engine and a rotary machine, a drive power distribution device is prohibited from switching to a four-wheel-drive state and thus evacuation travel is performed in a two-wheel-drive state in which a loss in a power transmission device is relatively small. Accordingly, in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, it is possible to increase an evacuation-travelable distance when evacuation travel is performed using only the drive power from one drive power source of the engine and the rotary machine.

Abstract: A software update system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a software update system configured to update software used in a vehicle based on update data of the software, the update data being transmitted to the vehicle from a distribution server that is communicably connected to the vehicle. The software update system includes: a notification unit configured to notify, when the update data is present, the presence of the update data to a user of the vehicle, along with information about an effect provided by the software update based on the update data; and an update unit configured to update the software based on the update data, when a predetermined input is accepted from the user after the notification by the notification unit.

Abstract: A central ECU includes a download execution feasibility determination unit that determines whether or not execution of download of data from an external distribution server of a vehicle is feasible based on position information of the vehicle, a download execution unit that executes the download in a case where the download execution feasibility determination unit determines that the execution of the download is feasible, and a transmission unit that records execution failure result information including position information of the vehicle when the download is executed by the download execution unit and fails, in an external monitoring server of the vehicle, in which the download execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not the execution of the download is feasible based on the execution failure result information recorded in the distribution server and the current position information of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle drive device and a control method therefor are provided. The vehicle drive device includes: a power source including a first rotating electrical machine; a second rotating electrical machine; a differential unit including three rotating elements to which a first output shaft, a second output shaft, and the second rotating electrical machine are connected; and an electronic control device. The electronic control device regeneratively controls the first rotating electrical machine and the second rotating electrical machine in such a manner that negative torque is applied to the first output shaft and the second output shaft, when performing regenerative control by the second rotating electrical machine in a drive mode in which torque from the power source is distributed to the first output shaft and the second output shaft by controlling torque of the second rotating electrical machine during deceleration of a vehicle.

Abstract: Because an EOP starts operating from when a decrease in discharge flow rate of an MOP is predicted or detected, a PL actual pressure that should be obtained with a PL command pressure set to a value for a required transmission torque is more easily maintained even when the discharge flow rate of the MOP becomes insufficient. After a lapse of a predetermined period of time from the start of operation of the EOP, the PL command pressure is temporarily set to a value higher than the value for the required transmission torque, and a regulator valve is controlled to operate to close a drain port. Therefore, the operation of the EOP in a high PL actual pressure is reduced, and a delay in response of a pressure regulating operation of the regulator valve in the process of reduction of the discharge flow rate of the MOP is reduced.

Abstract: A vehicle drive device includes: a brake that is provided with a plurality of friction plates, a first piston and a second piston, and a first piston hydraulic chamber and a second piston hydraulic chamber, and selectively fixes the third rotating element to a fixing member; a hydraulic control circuit that controls supply of the hydraulic pressure to the first piston hydraulic chamber and the second piston hydraulic chamber; and a control device. The control device controls the hydraulic control circuit such that the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the first piston hydraulic chamber and the second piston hydraulic chamber when the first traveling mode is set, and controls the hydraulic control circuit such that the hydraulic pressure is supplied only to one of the first piston hydraulic chamber and the second piston hydraulic chamber when the second traveling mode is set.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode catalyst for a fuel cell that includes a carbon support (11) having pores (13) and catalyst particles containing platinum or a platinum alloy supported on the carbon support (11). The pores (13) of the carbon support (11) have a mode size of pores (13) in a range of 2.1 nm to 5.1 nm. A total pore volume of the pores (13) of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 21 cm3/g to 35 cm3/g. A distance between the catalyst particles and a surface of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 2.0 nm to 12 nm as a distance of a 50% cumulative frequency.

Abstract: When evacuation travel is performed using only a drive power from one drive power source of an engine and a rotary machine, a drive power distribution device is prohibited from switching to a four-wheel-drive state and thus evacuation travel is performed in a two-wheel-drive state in which a loss in a power transmission device is relatively small. Accordingly, in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, it is possible to increase an evacuation-travelable distance when evacuation travel is performed using only the drive power from one drive power source of the engine and the rotary machine.

Abstract: A regenerative torque upper limit is set to a larger value when a rear-wheel distribution ratio is small than when the rear-wheel distribution ratio is large. Accordingly, when a distribution of a drive power to front wheels is large, a regenerative torque of a second rotary machine can be increased such that wheels are less likely to slip at the time of performing of regeneration control when the distribution of the drive power to the front wheels is small in comparison with a case in which the regenerative torque upper limit is set to a constant value similarly to when the distribution of the drive power to the front wheels is small. In this way, it is possible to increase the regenerative torque of the second rotary machine according to the rear-wheel distribution ratio.

Abstract: When regeneration control is performed while yaw rate control is being performed, the regeneration control is prohibited, or a regenerative torque of a second rotary machine based on the regeneration control is limited in comparison with a case in which the yaw rate control is not performed. Accordingly, since an influence of the regenerative torque controlled by the regeneration control on the yaw rate control can be suitably curbed, it is possible to curb deterioration in conformability of an actual yaw rate with a target yaw rate in the yaw rate control.

Abstract: Because an EOP starts operating from when a decrease in discharge flow rate of an MOP is predicted or detected, a PL actual pressure that should be obtained with a PL command pressure set to a value for a required transmission torque is more easily maintained even when the discharge flow rate of the MOP becomes insufficient. After a lapse of a predetermined period of time from the start of operation of the EOP, the PL command pressure is temporarily set to a value higher than the value for the required transmission torque, and a regulator valve is controlled to operate to close a drain port. Therefore, the operation of the EOP in a high PL actual pressure is reduced, and a delay in response of a pressure regulating operation of the regulator valve in the process of reduction of the discharge flow rate of the MOP is reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode catalyst for a fuel cell that includes a carbon support (11) having pores (13) and catalyst particles containing platinum or a platinum alloy supported on the carbon support (11). The pores (13) of the carbon support (11) have a mode size of pores (13) in a range of 2.1 nm to 5.1 nm. A total pore volume of the pores (13) of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 21 cm3/g to 35 cm3/g. A distance between the catalyst particles and a surface of the carbon support (11) is in a range of 2.0 nm to 12 nm as a distance of a 50% cumulative frequency.

Abstract: There are provided a catalyst layer for a fuel cell electrode and a method of producing the same. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell electrode includes a metal-supported catalyst including a carbon carrier and a metal catalyst supported on the carbon carrier and a fluororesin ionomer. A value obtained when a primary particle diameter of the carbon carrier measured with an SEM, a pH value of the metal-supported catalyst measured by a specific method, and a ratio between a weight of the fluororesin ionomer and a weight of the carbon carrier of the metal-supported catalyst are applied to a specific formula is a certain value or more.

Abstract: An apparatus for calculating a correlation between annotations includes a first obtaining unit configured to provide an annotator with a first data group capable of being evaluated to determine whether or not to attach annotations thereto, and obtaining a plurality of first confidence levels indicating certainty of the annotations in the first data group, the annotator outputting confidence levels indicating certainty of annotations to be attached to data when the data is given; a second obtaining unit configured to provide the annotator with a second data group used to calculate a correlation between the plurality of annotations, and thereby obtaining a plurality of second confidence levels indicating the certainty of the annotations in the second data group; and a computing unit configured to compute an estimated value of the correlation between the plurality of annotations based on the plurality of first and second confidence levels.